In many homes,  the main staircase often represents a visitor’s first glimpse of the architectural splendor and decorative style that lies beyond.  

Many of our area’s most distinguished estates are introduced by beautifully-designed staircases that are truly works of art. Whether elegantly curved or boldly ornate, here are a  few staircases that guarantee an impressive arrival.

Cassiobury in Bedford, a 1920s brick Georgian built with architectural elements reclaimed from one of England’s most important historic  houses, features a beautiful curved main staircase. It is a duplicate of the staircase taken from the original Cassiobury in England, the ancestral seat of the Earls of Essex, that was dismantled in the 1920s. The original staircase made its way to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City and is still on display today.

The split staircase capped by a soaring ceiling at Rockledge in Rye offers a dazzling introduction to this newly constructed, majestically scaled home.

The grand staircase at Devonshire in Bedford is highlighted by a Tiffany glass-domed ceiling, both original to the circa 1901 English-style country house set on over 100 acres.

The outdoor staircase at Fourviews in Bedford offers a striking approach to the oversized pool, patterned after the pool at Paradise Island’s famed Ocean Club Resort.

Entertaining on a grand scale can easily be accommodated in the entrance hall at Silver Oaks in Purchase, which spans 1300 square feet and hosts a magnificent floating staircase accented with hand-forged metal work.